ESPE Abstracts

Aims: The aims of the study was to evaluate the plasma adiponectin levels in obese children depending on children age, gender, stage of puberty and its relationship with lipid and carbohydrate metabolism parameters.

Material and method: The study were involved 122 obese children (52 girls, 70 boys), aged 5.3–17.9 years (11.6±3 years), 52 children in prepubertal, and 65 in pubertal period. Obesity was defined using IOTF criteria. The control group consisted of 58 healthy children (11.7±3 years). In each patient anthropometric measurements including bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method was taken. Adiponectin concentration were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA) method. In obese children oral glucose tolerance test was performed (OGTT). In 26 obese patients adiponectin were taken during OGTT. HOMA was calculated.

Results: The plasma adiponectin levels were significant lower in obese children than in control group (13.1 vs 15.9 μg/ml; P=0.004). Slightly lower values were found in obese boys compared to obese girls (12.9 μg/ml vs 13.4 μg/ml; P=0.77) and in pubertal children compared to prepubertal children (12.5 μg/ml vs 13.8 μg/ml; P=0.238) with the lowest values of adiponectin at Tanner stage 3 (9.56 μg/ml). According to gender and pubertal period the changes in adiponectin concentration were observed in the obese boys. The linear regression models showed the negative correlation adiponectin with pubertal period, at Tanner stage 3. Adiponectin correlates with HDL cholesterol (r=0.183, P=0.047). Logistic regression analysis showed that an increase of 1 unit in adiponectin reduces the risk of lowered <40 mg/dl HDL-C levels by 0.9 times. Adiponectin levels did not appear to be modulated by glucose challenge during OGTT.

Conclusion: Sex related differences between plasma adiponectin levels were dependent on puberty stage. Hypoadiponectinemia in obese children is a risk factor for low HDL-C level.